Geek the Girl, I almost bought The Crimson Petal and the White a few days ago. Sounds very interesting. Hmm, I'll have to remember to pick it up.

By all means do. It's a wonderful book, especially around the holidays when you have some more time to really focus on what you're reading. And I'm a total geek when it comes to anything Victorian. There's just something about that era - the double standards, the fear of sexuality and, of course, Jack the Ripper - that intrigues me.

Graphic Novel Recs. for my 11 year old???

Thanks to all of you, I have enough book recommendations to last, oh, several years now! American Gods is currently ready for me to pick up from the library......thanks!

I need some help though! I have an 2 boys, 11 and 13. The 13 year old is a great self motivated reader but the 11 year old, let's say, lacks the same desires. I think he may enjoy graphic novels but I am totally out of my element! I don't know what would be interesting and more importantly what would be appropriate for him......any suggestions??

I think he may enjoy graphic novels but I am totally out of my element! I don't know what would be interesting and more importantly what would be appropriate for him......any suggestions??

Hi, vondl0!

Mm. A good question, but difficult to answer. It's a little bit like asking "I think my son would like listening to music. What bands and/or CD's would you recommend?"

I'm not trying to be snide (really); I'm trying to frame the question to give you an idea how difficult it is to answer and how much variety exists with graphic novels.

Actually, this is a tricky question. Any graphic novel I recommend would need to be one that your son could dive right into without knowing a trace of back story. It also needs to be engaging and interesting and act as catalyst toward future reading. Finally, it needs to be age-appropriate.

Luckily, I can think of at least one that fits the bill (and if you give me a few days, maybe more). I whole-heartedly, enthusiastically and without reservation recommend Marvels, written by Kurt Busiek and beautifully painted(!) by Alex Ross.

Marvels is a collection of four books that explores the origins of the Marvel Universe (Spider-Man, The X-Men, the Hulk, et. al.) through the eyes of the man-on-the-street. It's well-written, and best of all, your son will know these characters when he begins but will see them in a whole new light when he's done. Highest possible recommendation.

Thanks to all of you, I have enough book recommendations to last, oh, several years now! American Gods is currently ready for me to pick up from the library......thanks!

I need some help though! I have an 2 boys, 11 and 13. The 13 year old is a great self motivated reader but the 11 year old, let's say, lacks the same desires. I think he may enjoy graphic novels but I am totally out of my element! I don't know what would be interesting and more importantly what would be appropriate for him......any suggestions??

Phat is the guru, but off-hand, how about Jeff Smith's "Bone" series? I know there's a one volume edition out now. It's marvelous and (I think) age-appropriate.

Correction: The actual spelling is Kathy Reichs and the heroine is a forensic anthropologist from North Carolina. I'll definitely pick one up to see if it measures with Cornwell's earlier stuff.

While I'm at it, does anyone want to recommend any good recentish crime novelists? Preferably American or Canadian ones, as I pretty much have the European ones covered. This year I've read and loved Harlan Coben, Giles Blunt and Michael Connelly. Any similar ones out there?

Geek -- I Just finished two of Kathy Reich's books; "Death Ju Jour" and "Deja Dead" and thoroughly enjoyed both. Very similar to Cornwell's 'Kay Scarpetta', but the main character, Temperance Brennan, is much more involved with the crime solving process. She travels back and forth from North Carolina to Quebec, trying to solve some truly gruesome crimes (much more gruesome than any Cornwell I've read).

I just picked up several new books: Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, Alex Witchel's me times three, and McLaughlin & Kraus Citizen Girl. I'll start with Neverwhere after I finish Playing Away by Adele Parks. I've read it before but can't remember how it ends, and I picked it up from my library when I had nothing new to read.

McLaughlin and Krauss wrote The Nanny Diaries, which was a fascinating read to me, not being from the northeast (I'm from Texas) and therefore not knowing anything about the whole "Nanny" culture. Heck, I've never seen a Nanny outside of Nanny 911. me times three looks like a fun chick-lit kind of book - the kind you take to bed and loll around reading while smoking a cigarette and eating a bag of peanut M&M's.

I couldn't find any of the Gaiman's Sandman novels at Hastings. Not surprising given that they usually only carry the most popular best sellers.

Thanks to all of you, I have enough book recommendations to last, oh, several years now! American Gods is currently ready for me to pick up from the library......thanks!

I need some help though! I have an 2 boys, 11 and 13. The 13 year old is a great self motivated reader but the 11 year old, let's say, lacks the same desires. I think he may enjoy graphic novels but I am totally out of my element! I don't know what would be interesting and more importantly what would be appropriate for him......any suggestions??

I have a question about graphic novels as well. The library near me has some of the "The Sandman" comics, and they look like they might be worth a read (ok, so the covers look cool ). Has anyone here ever read that series, and if so, what did you think of it?